Sci-fi Weapons, Vehicles and Equipment

Mine's going to be either 2 or 3, due to the fact magic exists. For example, sufficiently analyzed summoning spells can be used to construct wormholes.

The logic part of my brain would bitch at me if I went softer.

Eh screw it, let's go full-blown Star Wars pillowy soft space fantasy goodness. Just be consistent about how you apply your rules.

That's all I ask of anyone.

So AFP this puts yours all the way at 1. That is how soft you are willing to go.

3.5 here. I dont even use FTL.

3 to 4 for me. FTL is a must for practical reasons, but most everything else is basically real. The exceptions- like artificial gravity- are handled consistently and tie into a general-principles solution. FTL is a product of basic space-time engineering, and as gravity is a function of space-time, having FTL implies some ability to manipulate gravity as well. Inertial dampeners are just the application of artificial gravity in the direction of thrust to counteract felt acceleration- that sort of thing.

The setting I'm toying with at the moment is just the solar system (so no FTL), and other than a pseudo-reactionless drive (that still conserves momentum and energy) only has real technologies with very optimistic performances. So a high 4.5 I guess?

Maybe I should try to ignore Atomic Rockets a bit and have more fun...

The important thing with Science fiction is to just tell a good tale involving science. That's all. Bad stories will only highlight what shortcuts you have to take.

Echoing, I am currently playing with a WWII story about the Civil Air Patrol protecting US shipping from German sea monsters, so yeah, I don't mind playing it pretty soft.

Soft as it needs to be to work. Which is not hard but not completely squishy so roughly middling with variations in either direction.

Speaking of light and bending it.

Experiments with lasers to cause deliberate atmospheric lensing to possibly enhance optical recon and even mess with laser weapons. The article is over focused on the end from the aircraft but I imagine it would be quite reasonable it could be done from the ground side as well.

For intercepting enemy lasers I see an issue. That is positioning of the laser lensing to intercept it. You would either need to know you are being targeted by a layer and know where it is to position or you would need to generate what is likely to be a very visible wide area sort of protection.

Regardless it is pretty interesting.

MAD-FIRES(Multi Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System) is finally making some headway. From what I have been able to read up in other locations the rounds are likely to have some sort of self guiding capability which is suggested by engaging "swarm threats" en masse. If they required active target illumination for each round there would be a hard limit to the number of targets they could actively engage at once. If they have some sort of self guiding capability, possibly something akin to optical targeting for upcoming mini-missiles or even a miniaturized system like is used on the Javline Missile are also possible.

Speaking of soft, does anyone have any energy weapons that reload like ballistics? What's your Hand Wave, for it?

I do. They're called flash rifles, laser weapons that load from a magazine of disposable chemical batteries. Some are even bolt-action, though each individual cell is typically good for a number of shots instead of a one-and-done like ballistic cartridges.

There are also weapons that eject heat sinks instead of brass like Mass Effect 2, also good for a number of shots.

Hmm...I see. I was thinking the same similar, except it was more a fusion cells, that carried more "shots" than a ballistic weapon, but they couldn't penetrate walls or structures, as they reflected off solid surfaces, with the sole exception being flesh and Deflector Shields

Hammers slammers energy weapons "power guns" have a polymer disc type ammo that is supposed be made to hold copper atoms in specific alignment. Through various mechanisms it is then converted into copper plasma. They are LOS guns but the near instant plasma shot will discharge into the first thing it hits. Be it a leaf, person, metal fragment or even sufficiently dense material in the air. Rain or snow doesn't usually affect it but a hail stone might.

Working on a proper Type 2 Soft Sci-Fi.

But also working on another type 5 Sci-Fi.

The type 5 is gonna be a tale of a android. That's it, the most unusual thing is advanced robotics, all extrapolated from current research into future technologies. Such as robotics, limb movements, portable power sources, synthetic biology research. The Android is gonna have no super powers and be what you would expect from one built to fight, sturdy, and strong.

For what it's worth, there's such a thing as chemical lasers, i.e. lasers that work by the combustion of particular chemicals. It might make more sense than a weapon powered by several small batteries (capacitors would be preferable anyway, because you need a short high-intensity burst of power).

Sort of. The "cartridge"(which may be disc-shaped with its face in the muzzle's direction) contains radioactive material that's induced to decay almost all at once, producing radiation(maybe positrons) that's then focused and directed by the weapon, and maybe further accelerated. It's useless afterwards, so it's ejected.

edited 22nd Jan '17 1:34:40 AM by ManInGray

Forerunner weapons fire bullets and beams made of Hard Light and they are reloaded magazine style for at least some of them.

I've entertained the thought of at least beam weapons in my verses having swapped out magazines/power cells. I find however in the case of some of them it distracts from their differentiating characteristics, turns them from actual future weapon into a reskinned bullet slugger.

Hell Gundam beam rifles are eventually loaded with "magazines" known as E-pacs. The idea is sound, when you have the ability to store enough power into a battery for your portable energy weapon, you do so with magazines instead of a bulky backpack tool.

It gives you less encumbrance and makes it that much harder for your enemies to shoot you out by blasting the backpack.

Double Posting for some fun, Mega Corp time again.

Everyone here is now part of a dev team and you are tasked with building a Robot Buddy for specific uses. It is to work with the local space forces high command as a unit tied to the Superior Officers.

It must follow the officer's orders, protect the officer itself, and be personable enough for people not to get unnerved by it. Combat prowess and durability is a must.

As for extra, no easy way out by the use of "Android" or "Gynoid". Bonus points for making this seem extra believable or realistic.

Here's something from another story of mine, the setting is a combination of World War II aesthetics with Dieselpunk/Cyberpunk style of technology. Basically, the aircraft are based on the famous propeller plane of WWII but with a more modern design and with jet engines, and the cockpit are also futuristic looking. Soldiers and some vehicles also have the late 19th century-early 20th Century equipment which is also modernized and also have mechas as well, with some of the nations having a steampunk touch to them.

I must wonder this though, could it these two combined technologies look practical?

Something like early jet aircrafts?

Sort of, but with a modern looking design like the aircraft of this generation with a dash of Dieselpunk.

@Echoing Silence: Meet Tribot, your battlefield buddy!

He can monitor your communications, carry your coffee, search for landmines, and insult your colleagues! Plus, he has a pulse laser in his forehead!

edited 26th Jan '17 8:44:28 AM by DeMarquis

That's...not what I have in mind.

You're mocking me aren't you?